Blue Mirth

Deafening

John Kenneth

School ends, and I want to visit my locker. I've got a few books that need disposing. Which reminds me. I haven't seen Ivy in a while. I find her at her locker, her back to the rest of the world. Hmmm, classic. I get closer, and notice that she isn't alone. Lucas stands next to her, his arm around her hips, his lips whispering something in her ear, curled in a smile. I don't know how I feel about this. I instantly remember the incident that took place the first time I officially met Ivy. Luke was holding a knife. I don't know why I do it, but I stride up to them, and tap Luke's shoulder. "'Sup, mate.", I say, in a fake, Australian accent, to lighten the mood. He turns around, his hand dropping from where it was touching Ivy, and I exhale. He smirks at me. "Nothin' much, bro. 

Just enjoying the fact that I have a new girlfriend.", he says, failing to mimic my way of speaking. I raise my eyebrow at him. Girlfriend? I see his hand on Ivy again. My jaw gets stiff. I look at Ivy's face, and I don't know what to call the look on it. She looks... blank? Something strange happens, and her body jerks a little, as if she just received an electric shock. A smile creeps onto her face, and she says, in a voice that's almost convincing, "Yeah, we just got together". Almost. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes. It's not like the one in the car. It's not the one I saw when we toasted with the Cherry Cokes. This is all fake. "Uh. Great. Hey, um, Ivy. Can we talk for a sec?", I say, trying to sound genuine. Luke's eyes flash. "What about?", he asks, also trying to sound genuine, but no. 

I can see right through him. And what I see just confirms that something is really, really wrong. "It's about Kylie, actually. I need a little advice on how to woo her.", I say. Check. Luke looks unfazed still. "Oh, then you can do it right here.", he says, his voice sounding a little bored. I clench my fist. Stubborn little snake. Ivy isn't even looking at me. She's looking at his hand around her. She's looking at the industrious hallway behind me. She's looking at the floor. But not at me. It's like she wants nothing more than to escape.

"Actually, it's kind of private."

And without waiting for his reaction, I grab Ivy's hand and drag her out of there. Checkmate. She doesn't resist at all. Not until we're out of Luke's reach, at least. Then she turns away from me.

"Hi, John.", she murmurs, not looking at me still. I glance around for a bit. The hallway is too active to notice us, so I'm pretty sure whatever we talk about is going to stay out of everyone's hearing range. I don't know where Luke went, or why he didn't try to stop me. I don't care, honestly. Ivy still looks like she might run, so I back her up against the wall, and block her exits from everywhere, using my body. She doesn't try to get away, just stands there with her arms crossed and head down. "Hey. What's wrong?", I ask, getting right to the point.

"Nothing."

"Something is."

"Nothing is."

There's a little pause for a moment. Then I ask, "Are you really dating Luke?" now she looks up a little, but still doesn't look me in the eye. Still, it's progress. "No. He was kidding about that.", she says. That makes no sense.

"Then why'd you say that you were?"

"What? I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did. When we were by the lockers, you said you guys had just started dating."

"Oh."

"Ivy?"

"Yeah?"

She's scaring me. It's like she's in a daze. Not thinking straight. Distant. "What's going on?", I ask, slowly, wanting her to comprehend what I'm asking. I even bend a little so she might look at me. But she doesn't. "Nothing. Just dating Luke. Kind of weird.", she says, like she can't frame full sentences.